1. Field of Invention
An assembly device for extending the length of the pickup bed for hauling objects longer than the bed of the pickup is adapted to the receiver hitch attached to the rear end of a pickup with a primary support bar inserted within the receiver hitch with a first upright horizontal support bar extending upward from the primary support bar beyond the tailgate to support objects up to ten feet in length with a second upright horizontal support bar connected to the primary bar having a second upright horizontal support bar extending upward from the secondary support bar to support objects longer than ten feet. Each first and second upright horizontal support bar includes a set of adjustable width anchor chocks attached to each support bar, with the second upright horizontal support bar including running lights with brake and turn indicators connected to the vehicle wiring system by a wiring harness.
2. Description of Prior Art
The following United States patents were discovered and are disclosed within this application for utility patent. All relate to towing hitch extensions adapted to the receiver hitch of a vehicle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,391 to Whiteford, a cargo deck is attached to a support bar adapted to the receiver hitch. The support bar has two bent portions which position the cargo deck at a level even with the cargo bed of the vehicle, elevating the height of the cargo deck from the level of the receiver hitch to the cargo bed of the vehicle. The cargo deck is adjustable in distance from the tailgate of the cargo bed of the vehicle. It appears that an additional ball hitch extension is also attached to the support bar and light signal indicators are disclosed and incorporated into the Whiteford device.
A similar structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,088 to Kahlstorf which indicates a table top attachment with a support bar attaching the table top within the receiver hitch of the vehicle. A double support bar device attaching to a support bar inserted within the receiver hitch of a vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,926 to Hardin having adjustable distance upright support structures removably attach to a support bar inserted and attached to the receiver hitch, this device also disclosing a wiring harness for auxiliary signal light indicators. Each upright support structure has a height adjustment feature to raise and lower the support structures from the support bar. This upright structure attached to the support bar is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,389 to Young, which shows a support bar adapted to a receiver hitch with a singular upright support bar having a means of adjusting the height of the support structure.
An extension device adapted to the receiver hitch having a curved drawbar is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,092 to Johnson. The drawbar curvature compensates for the height difference between the receiver hitch and the cargo bed of the vehicle, along with the variable height position of the connection between the drawbar vertical receiver and the vertical insertion end of the support structure allowing the support structure level to be even with the cargo bed of the vehicle, as indicated in FIG. 2 of that patent.
However, these prior patents, alone or in combination do not demonstrate the elements of the present tailgate extension device, which allows for an enhanced ability to carry and support long objects being transported in a vehicle having a cargo bed, adapted to both length and width of the objects to be carried in the cargo bed of the vehicle in a complete and collapsible embodiment with secure support features.